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Sunday, July 29, 2012

Books? What books? It has definitely not been a week of reading for me. It was too hot most of the week for me to do my usual lunchtime reading in my car - there was no such thing as a cool shady place. That meant I had to read in the lunchroom and it's too noisy to really sink into a book. I started a book last Sunday that just wasn't working for me. Generally I try to push through, afraid that if I give up too early, I'll miss what makes the book great. This time I took inspiration from Ti of Book Chatter, and set the book aside. If you are a fan of Philippa Gregory's books, The Women of the Cousins' War would probably make a great companion to the books about these same women. On it's own, for someone who hasn't read any of those books, it just didn't work for me.

We've spent the past two weekends moving our oldest back home - and after living in an apartment with up to five cats, every fabric thing he brought into our house had to be washed by this allergic mama. My entire house looks like another house blew up inside of it and I've been working like crazy to find a home for everything. The same kid has a birthday this week so one night we celebrated that.

I'm going to struggle to find reading time for the next two weeks as well now that the Olympics have started. I will watch any sport when it comes to the Olympics (I confessed to my new found interesting in curling in February 2010). For the summer Olympics, I'm intensely interested in the swimming events but last night I even watched women's weightlifting. I don't even like weightlifting (and I'm not sure I'll watch any more of it if it's the only sport on). But I love the stories behind the athletes, the combination of individual effort and national pride.

I am finishing Thrity Umrigar's The World We Found today. Perhaps that's another reason I've been reading more slowly. Umrigar writes books that I like to take my time with - they are marvelously complex stories I don't want to be see end. Tomorrow I'll start Courtney Sullivan's Maine. What are you reading this week?

13 comments:

I suspect we'll be watching a lot of Olympics as well. Hub didn't get home until about 11:30 last night after a movie and he must have watched until after 2 in the morning! I fell asleep but we both love watching all of the stories. Often times I'm sitting on the couch sobbing my little eyes out. ;)

That's funny... I thought I was the only one who read in their car at lunchtime. ;-)

I work in a school so there is never a quiet place, but in the beg and end of school year, it is way too hot to sit in the car. Sometimes I sit in the grotto, but a nun comes in around the same time as my lunch and she prays out loud, so I leave. I figure it is her place not mine.

What a busy and dedicated mom! Good luck with reorganizing your house and making it cat free. I'm a dog person myself and had to get a dog that wouldn't shed - a bichon. I also have to find time to read Umrigar.

It sounds as if you've been very busy again this week and I'm amazed how much reading you do despite your busy life! We've been watching the swimming knowing the USA athletes are strong contenders so all the best. We were pleased that Rebecca Adlington, our girl, got a bronze this evening.I'm reading 'Small Island' by Andrea Levy (1948 London - exploring the experience of Caribbean immigrants in post-war Britain).

The heat certainly puts the damper on just about everything doesn't it?? I hope it has gotten a bit cooler there by now??? My reading has been off the charts but that's because I'm a bit addicted to Jill Shalvis' Lucky Harbor seres right now! I get that feeling of having a house explodiing within a house!! I'm addicted to all things Olympics. Every four years i gobble it up like candy and like you find myself watching events that I wouldn't even want to see any other tiime.

The Olympics has been difficult to watch only because the schedules seem to be all over the place. All of the stuff I love is on when I can't see it so then I have to record the entire 4 hour block and then FF to the parts I want to see. Women's gymnastics, diving, and the rowing has been fun to watch but I have a hard time catching those events.

I didn't do much reading this weekend. I was in a depressed mood and just feeling out of it. I'm sure it was the prednisone for this hand injury that did it to me. Oh, and the hand injury itself is depressing. I really don't want surgery but living withe one hand has been difficult. Especially at work when I have to be online all day.

I am not really all that interested in sports, so the Olympics aren't really my bag, but so many people are into them, that I may have to watch some of it just to keep up! I did like The Women of the Cousin's War, but found the last 3rd of the book to b a little dull, and very confusing. I remember that I liked it overall though. And good for you about getting into another one of Umrigar's books! She is just wonderful!

Book Review Policy

Unfortunately, I am not able to accept any new books for review at this time.
Every review is an honest representation of my impression of the book. I am not a professional book reviewer; rather my reviews are my opinions as a reader primarily reading for pleasure. I will try to alert readers to elements that some readers might find offensive.
My preferred genres are literary fiction, women's fiction, chick lit, mystery/suspense, historical fiction and memoir/biography. If you have a requested date in mind for review, I need to know this in the initial contact. I currently need three months lead time on a book. I will review every book I finish.